Best Debt Consolidation Loans for Bad Credit of March 2024

ElitePersonalFinance
Last Update: September 25, 2023 Debt Loan Reviews Loans

Debt consolidation loans allow borrowers to roll multiple debts into a single new one with fixed monthly payments and, ideally, a lower interest rate. With a debt consolidation loan, a lender issues a single personal loan that you use to pay off other debts, such as balances on high-interest credit cards. You’ll pay fixed, monthly installments to the lender for a set time period, typically two to five years. The rates may be a bit higher and still make sense if your multiple loan cost is very high and your credit score is poor.

Best personal loans for debt consolidation loans for good credit come with APRs of between 5.99% and 10%. For bad credit, you can expect an APR of up to 35.99%.

Suppose you have bad credit. That does not mean that you have to get payday loans. They are predatory. In this article, we discuss getting personal loans for debt consolidation. However, we still recommend that you watch our video, which discusses how people with bad credit can get approved on a personal loan.


FICO Score Range

Credit Score:Lower:Upper:
Very bad300560
Bad560650
Average650700
Good700750
Excellent750850

Best Debt Consolidation Loans for Bad Credit of March 2024

Loan Company:Min. Credit Score:APR:Amount:
PersonalLoans5805.99% – 35.99%$35,000
LendingTree5003.99% – 35.99%$50,000
Upgrade5608.49% – 35.99%$50,000
LendingClub6006.16% – 35.89%$40,000

PersonalLoans

Loan Amount:$1,000 – $35,000
APR:5.99% – 35.99%
Min. Credit Score:580
Approval:1 Day
Terms:90 days – 72 months
Origination Fee:1 – 5%
DTI Ratio:N/A
Check rates

PersonalLoans is a huge marketplace with lenders that serve many customers in different target groups.

Best for:

  • Good and excellent credit score.

Pros:

  • Competitive APRs.
  • Low credit requirements.
  • Low-income requirements.
  • No prepayment penalties.
  • No hidden fees.
  • Great customer support.

Cons:

  • You can’t delay your payments too much.

LendingTree

Loan Amount:$1,000 – $100,000
APR:3.99% – 35.99%
Min. Credit Score:500
Approval:1 Day
Terms:1 – 5 Years
Origination Fee:0 – 3%
DTI Ratio:N/A
Check rates

LendingTree is the best place to start shopping for personal loans for debt consolidation. This platform does not extend loans but connects borrowers with the best deals in the market.

Once you apply on their platform, you are matched with up to five different lenders that will compete to give you the best rates.

Pros:

  • Easy online application.
  • Multiple offers.
  • Low APRs.
  • Quick funding.

Cons:

  • Requires a great deal of personal information to get meaningful results.

Best for: Borrowers with a steady source of income.

Upgrade

Loan Amount:$1,000 – $50,000
APR:8.49% – 35.99%
Min. Credit Score:560
Approval:1 Day
Terms:2 – 7 Years
Fees:
  • Loan origination fee of 1.85% – 9.99%
  • Late payment fee of $10, after a 15-day grace period
  • Insufficient funds fee of $10
  • There are no prepayment fees
Qualification Criteria:
  • Be at least 18 years of age
  • Have a credit score of at least 560
  • Have a DTI ratio that doesn’t exceed 75%
  • Have recurring employment income or government benefits
  • Fill out your information through Upgrade’s online portal
Average Borrower Profile:
  • Has a credit score of 678
  • Has an annual income of $78,000
Best For:High DTI ratios
Check rates

Personal loans made through Upgrade feature Annual Percentage Rates (APRs) of 8.49% – 35.99%. All personal loans have a 1.85% to 9.99% origination fee, which is deducted from the loan proceeds. The lowest rates require Autopay and paying off a portion of existing debt directly. Loans feature repayment terms of 24 to 84 months. For example, if you receive a $10,000 loan with a 36 – month term and a 17.59% APR (which includes a 13.94% yearly interest rate and a 5% one-time origination fee), you would receive $9,500 in your account and would have a required monthly payment of $341.48. Over the life of the loan, your payments would total $12,293.46. The APR on your loan may be higher or lower, and your loan offers may not have multiple term lengths available. The actual rate depends on credit score, credit usage history, loan term, and other factors. Late payments or subsequent charges and fees may increase the cost of your fixed-rate loan. There is no fee or penalty for repaying a loan early.

This lender extends loans to borrowers with a credit score of 560 and above. With Upgrade, you can borrow up to $50,000 with an APR of between 8.49% to 35.99%. The repayment period is usually between three to five years.

Best for:

  • Borrowers with steady cash flow.
  • Borrowers looking for a debt consolidation option.

Pros:

  • Competitive APRs.
  • No prepayment penalty.
  • Free credit health Monitoring.
  • Soft pull on the initial application.

Cons:

  • High origination fees for some loans.
  • Late payment fees.
  • Returned check fees.

LendingClub

Loan Amount:$1,000 – $40,000
APR:6.16% – 35.89%
Min. Credit Score:600
Approval:1 – 7 Days
Terms:3 – 5 Years
Origination Fee:1% – 6%
DTI Ratio:40%
Check rates

LendingClub extends personal loans to borrowers with a minimum credit score of 600. With this lender, you can borrow up to $40,000 and pay the amount within 36 to 60 months. Their APRs range from 6.95% to 35.89%.

Best for:

  • You have a bad credit score.
  • You need less than $40000.
  • You have a stable job.

Pros:

  • Accepts bad credit scores.
  • Offers lower APRs.
  • No prepayment penalties.

Cons:

  • Charges origination fee.
  • Funding takes nearly a week.

If none of the above options meets your purpose, we encourage you to keep shopping. Here are some tips to help you make the most out of personal loans for debt consolidation for bad credit.

What to Consider Before Taking a Personal Loan for Debt Consolidation for Bad Credit?

A personal loan for debt consolidation will do you no good if you are not ready to change your spending habits and focus on clearing the debt.

Transferring all your debt into a personal loan does not mean that your debt has vanished. It is still there, and things will continue getting worse if you do not focus on paying it. In fact, without proper planning, this method can push you deep into debt and further destroy your credit.

It would help if you reminded yourself that you are still in debt until you can clear the personal loan.

Proper preparation requires a budget reflecting on how you can afford to pay each month comfortably. Shop around with this figure in mind to avoid taking a personal loan with monthly payments you can’t manage.

It is also better to keep paying the multiple loans if you realize that the savings from the personal loan for debt consolidation are insignificant. Keep working on your credit score until you are eligible for better terms. You may find yourself saving more if you invest in improving your credit score first.

There are multiple resources out there to help you work on your rating. Please read our guide on how to increase your credit score by 100 points in three months.

How to Shop Around for The Best Deals?

When shopping for a personal loan for debt consolidation with bad credit, there are several essential things you need to note.

First, do not rush to take offers at face value. Scrutinize each deal and ask questions where things are not clear. Remember that while some lenders may appear attractive regarding rates, they may not be worthwhile when fees are considered.

If you cannot find a good deal that matches your bad credit score, there are several other options that you can consider.

  • Personal loans with a cosigner

You can get someone with a good credit score to co-sign you a loan. This means that the lender will consider the cosigner’s credit rating when determining whether to extend a loan to you.

A loan with a co-signer is likely to have a high approval rate and lower APRs. The downside is that the co-signer takes full liability if you fail to meet the loan terms as agreed.

Let the co-signer know the repercussions before signing, and do your best to ensure that you do not get them into trouble. Please note that not all lenders accept loan applications with a co-signer.

  • Secured personal loans for debt consolidation

Another way to increase the chances of approval with bad credit is to apply for a secured loan. In a secured personal loan, you commit your asset/s as security for the loan.

The lender goes after the pledged asset if you fail to meet the loan terms. This not only leads to a more significant loss on your side but also affects your credit score.

Assets most commonly used as collateral include home equity, car, savings, or certification of deposit. Do not take a secured personal loan for debt consolidation unless you are confident that you will strictly adhere to the loan payment terms.

Advantages of Unsecured Loans for Bad Credit

The best thing about unsecured personal loans for bad credit is that they are easy to apply and do not take long to get funded. This means that if you get a good deal, you can start saving on interest almost immediately.

If you move all your debts to a personal loan and adhere to the payment terms, your credit score improves. When calculating FICO scores, credit rating agencies consider your debt utilization ratio, credit mix, and payment history, among other things.

If your multiple debts do not include a personal loan, taking one for debt consolidation positively impacts your credit score.

Also, moving all debts into one card means that some cards are freed up to take more debt, and this is considered a great thing when calculating your credit score. Please do not close the cards or use them to take up more debt before paying off the debt consolidation loan.

Conclusion

A bad credit score should not close you out from getting a personal loan for debt consolidation. Even with a credit score below 600, you will likely find great offers if you do your homework well.

Always ensure that you read each offer’s fine prints to ensure that you are subscribing to a viable deal. Some loans may come with low rates but offset the advantage with very high fees.

If you still cannot find a good deal, consider taking secured personal loans or engaging a co-signer. These two methods have their disadvantages and therefore are not fit for everyone.

Follow us on social media to be the first to be notified when new debt consolidation deals for bad credit come up.

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